The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a set of islands located to the east of India, which do not constitute a state, but rather a union territory. Its capital is Port Blair. The majority of the Andaman population speaks Hindi or Bengali. Other common languages are Tamil, Malayalam, and Telegu. Furthermore, the indigenous population of the islands speaks Andamanese. The islands are comprised of 3 districts.

Demographics

The population of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is approximately 380,000 people. Of this number, 64.33% comprise the rural population and the remaining 35.67% comprise the urban population. The sex ratio in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is 878 per 1000 males, with a ratio of 891 per 1000 males in urban areas and 871 per 1000 males in rural areas. The literacy rate in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is 86.27%, with a 84.39% rate in rural areas and a 89.6% rate in urban areas. The majority of the population of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands follows Hinduism (69.45%). The next largest religion is Christianity, with 21.28% of the population as followers. Other religions practiced in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands include Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

Economy

The main industries in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. In 2010, the territory’s gross state domestic product (GSDP) was $810 million. Data on the territory’s unemployment rate could not be found, but according to researchers, it receives a high score on unemployment, though not the highest in India.

Politics

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are politically ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the territory’s lieutenant governor is Retired General A.K. Singh of the same party.